Public And Private Sectors Combine To Build New Play Park For Ballyfermot

The Matheson Foundation, in partnership with Dublin City Council and the Irish Architecture Foundation, is to fund a project to design and build a new Play Park in Ballyfermot. The Play Park will combine a play area and skate / BMX park, delivered through a process of high quality public engagement.

The concept of a Play Park originated from discussions between the Matheson Foundation and the Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF). This aligns with the Matheson Foundation's objectives of helping children in Ireland fulfil their potential and promoting corporate philanthropy in Ireland, and the IAF's aims to utilise its skills and expertise to create community led design projects in the public realm.

The IAF, working with Dublin City Council, will employ a 'People First' process to encourage the community to engage with the development of the park. This 'People First' process aims to ensure a greater sense of ownership in order to meet the needs of the young people of Ballyfermot. It is hoped the consultation process will be completed by January 2015 and the construction of the Play Park will go out to tender in March 2016. The project will be fully realised by December 2016.

Commenting on the launch of this project, Turlough Galvin, Chairperson of the Matheson Foundation, said: "The development of the Play Park in Ballyfermot will...